In the field of mail processing, commercially available apparatus are available that are capable of finishing mail. The finishing of mail can include inserting contents into an envelope, sealing the envelope, addressing the envelope and sorting the finished mail in accordance with the address on the address block. Examples of commercially available apparatus that process mail are inserters, such as the Model No. 8300 Series inserters available from Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail finishing systems are described in a number of patents including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,119,306 and 5,142,482.
Although the primary functions have been achieved with regard mail processing equipment, there are other tasks that need to be performed to assure efficient mail processing. Among these are the opening of a flap on an envelope so that items can be inserted therein, registering the envelope so that it is in a position to receive contents, rejecting envelopes that are not properly registered or have not had their flaps open, and assuring that only one envelope at a time is fed. Although these functions can be performed in mail processing equipment, such equipment is complicated and expensive, so that it is not advantageous to perform the secondary functions with such equipment.
Clearly, it would be advantageous to assure that mail processing equipment receives envelopes that are properly registered, singulated and have their flaps open.